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The final live radio episode of Talking Real Money blends nostalgia, listener appreciation, and core investing philosophy. Don and Tom reflect on nearly four decades of broadcasting while reinforcing their timeless message: consistent investing beats prediction. Using a simple S&P 500 example, they illustrate how discipline—not brilliance—builds wealth. They address current market declines with calm realism, urging listeners to ignore noise and stick to a plan. Calls cover everything from podcast transition logistics and annuity sales traps to credit freezes, tax surprises from brokerage accounts, and when to fire an advisor—ending the radio era exactly as it ran: practical, skeptical, and relentlessly investor-first.

0:04 Emotional opening and end of the radio era

0:46 Show history back to 1988 and investing perspective

1:55 $500/month S&P 500 example → ~$3.1M outcome

2:43 Market fears vs long-term investing reality

5:16 Podcast growth to #43 in U.S. investing category

6:40 Market drop discussion and “what should you do?”

7:29 Core advice: plan, ignore predictions, stay disciplined

8:57 Podcast call-in format going forward (Car Talk style)

11:01 How to challenge annuity salespeople effectively

13:22 Call from Paul Merriman reflecting on legacy

16:55 Listener success story: Roth IRA to $500K

20:32 Credit score drop and how to check/freezes

26:35 Why freezing credit is a smart default move

27:47 Tax shock from brokerage gains and hidden trading issues

32:11 Warning signs of poor advisor behavior (Wells Fargo case)

34:08 When to fire an advisor (fees, complexity, value gap)
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